Get Over Yourself
by dorkwithaspork
Summary: Electricity swept through Sam, and he was sure she could hear his intake of breath as blood rose to his cheeks. The touch seemed to have shattered Quinn's concentration because suddenly she was subtly eyeing him. Fabrevans. M for safety.
1. Petty Jealousy

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** _Hey, everyone! I'm so glad you've decided to check out this fic, but there's a few things you need to know before you start reading._

_Firstly, it's set during and after Sue's sister's funeral, and I haven't really decided whether it'll run into Nationals or not. As far as I'm concerned, the show didn't make it clear how much time passed between each episode, so it gives me free reign to judge._

_This is my first fiction in a while, and I'm trying to get back into the groove, so bear with me, people! But, by all means, review! It's always much appreciated. And now, I'm going to stop rambling, so you can read. Enjoy!_

**DISCLAIMER:**_ No, I don't own Glee. Or Sam. Or Quinn. Or Dianna or Chord, but I really wish I did.  
><em>

Silence seemed to plague all of Lima after the participants of Jean Sylvester's funeral began to disperse. At first, upon seeing the sorrow in both his parents' and siblings' faces, Sam was certain the quiet would remain until he had returned home, a thought that was depressing at best. That is, until a _thud_ shook the air and the flutter of feathers it evoked caused most everyone out of their cars to glance up. An oceanic blue gaze watched in total bewilderment as Quinn Fabray fled the scene, her face undeniably flushed under her fair hair. Fear instantaneously gushed through Sam's veins as he followed the girl with his eyes, almost positive her reckless pace would land her a skinned knee on the pavement. Thankfully, she seemed to have mastered the art of fighting gravity - probably from all those Cheerios practices - because she disappeared further into the mass of cars unscathed. When she was out of eyesight, Sam threw his gaze back at the vehicle she had ran from only to realize she had been leaving behind a thoroughly redfaced Finn Hudson.

Despite himself, rage began to fuel his motives, and Sam found himself sliding the door of his father's dingy mini van closed, earning a shout of protest from his mother seated within. Before he could pause and think about how to proceed, Sam was heading over to Finn's car, which hadn't moved since Quinn deserted it. The other's boy head had vanished behind the windshield, but his hair was faintly visible, signaling he'd rested his head on the steering wheel. An unknown and frankly terrifying part of Sam willed the airbag to go off, so the kid could receive the punch he deserved for whatever he'd done.

Knuckles were suddenly wrapping across the passenger's window, and Sam wasn't surprised to see that he had caught Finn off guard. His fellow football player immediately went on the alert, jerking up from the wheel and whipping his head in Sam's direction. With a familiar look of dull confusion, Finn leaned over and pressed the button to make the window sink. Not until it was completely down did he choose to speak.

"Sam?"

Of course, Sam had no idea how he was supposed to advance in this situation, having acted on impulse and not given his actions the thought they were due. A frown touched his lips because that certainly wasn't healthy and neither was the small yet dominant part of him that willed him to punch the other boy's face in. Fighting back the urge, he managed to grind out the first question that came to mind.

"What did you do?"

Finn blinked, stalled for a second, and then promptly looked resigned.

"You saw that then?"

"Damn right, I saw that." His voice fell out harsher than he had originally intended, but Sam didn't lessen the ferocity in his gaze one bit.

Appearing dazed as usual, the quarterback shook his head, running a large hand through his hair. He obviously didn't realize Sam wasn't simply asking, he was _demanding_. "I don't want to talk about it, man. I-I'll see you in Glee Club."

It looked as if Finn was about to roll the window back up when Sam, surprising even himself, jerked the door open and slid into the empty seat, slamming it hard behind him. "You cannot keep doing this," he growled out then, making sure no ounce of the shock he felt for himself appeared on his face. "You _cannot_ keep screwing everyone over like this, Finn."

Deep mahogany eyes full of disbelief, Finn, in an attempt to make his presence larger, scooted up in his seat and raised his voice. "Look Sam, I don't what you're trying -"

"Oh, shut up." came Sam's answer, and he simply couldn't help but look as appalled as he was. But, the words were flowing, and he knew he just needed to let them. From the total astonishment scrawled across Finn's face, Sam knew he had to do something to defuse the tension, so he sat forward, his forehead almost brushing the other boy's. Unsurprisingly, Finn flinched back.

"I love you, man. You helped me when I first came to WMHS and introduced me to the Glee Club and inevitably people I've also grown to love." He shrugged his broad shoulders and brushed his bangs out of his eyes, shaking his head when Finn looked as if he was about to interrupt. "I said _shut up_, Finn. Look, man. Just because I love you doesn't really make a difference, though. Because trust me when I say that I'm the only one who loves you. You've been tearing up those girls, making them think the other's better than them and having all those insecure girly feelings I can't even begin to understand." He paused for a breath and gauged the frown that was spreading across Finn's face. "But, they stand to reason because I don't know too much about girls what with the all boys boarding school thing, but I do know they're a lot tougher than us. Mentally, you know? But, these mind games, man. It's like you think you can do whatever you want to them. Go back to the other because they're vulnerable for you. Let me tell you right now that if you ever try to get back with Quinn, I will beat you to a pulp no matter how much I love you." He crossed his arms over his chest. "And you know I can, because the only reason you got quarterback was because I threw my arm out. And believe me, I'm getting it back this year. So, back off."

A stunned silence hung between the two boys, and Finn had fixated his eyes on a speck of dirt on the window behind Sam. He looked so vulnerable suddenly, the muscles in his jaw twitching and his eyebrows furrowed... When it became apparent that he wasn't going to be the one to speak first, Sam heaved a sigh. "Dude, thanks for your clothes, and all of the help you guys have given me and my family to get back on our feet. I love you, and if you'd stop all of this crap, maybe the rest of Glee would, too. Not to pull a Rachel or anything, but I'm going to hug you now."

As he leaned forward, the brief fragility on Finn's face vanished to Sam's disappointment, and the boy's face hardened as he jumped away from his arms. "You think you get to tell me all this? You're on the outside looking in, man! Just. Get the _hell_ out of my car."

Sam raised his hands. If he was anything, he definitely was accepting of other people's emotional boundaries. "Think about what I said, Finn." He proceeded to open the door and get out before suddenly leaning in through the still open window. "I got out of your car, man. But, you need to _get over yourself_."

Before the other boy could respond, Sam had shut the door and started walking back over to where the mini van remained parked, his mother peeking her head out of the door.

"Where you thanking Finn for his clothes?" she asked cheerfully as he climbed into the back of the vehicle, dodging his brother and sister as they played tug-of-war with one of Kurt's ties.

"I did actually," Sam admitted, pulling the seat belt over his chest and glancing out of the rear view mirror. Finn's car still hadn't moved. "Maybe one day he'll be thankful too."

* * *

><p>A yellow cardigan was tied fashionably at the ends around one of her typical blouses, a gray skirt just barely brushing the middle of her thighs. Sam couldn't stop staring as he watched the girl enter the room, a deep breath racking his chest as he took all of her in.<p>

He loved her jaw, the way it made her face more prominent and how sometimes she would lift it up in some sort of defiant gesture. When they'd been dating, the first thing he had wanted to do was to kiss it, along with her neck... Her collar bone. At the time, she'd said it tickled and had giggled the whole way through.

The thought evoked a burst of butterflies in his stomach, but he couldn't bring himself to stop looking.

And then there were her eyes, those pools of hazel. They had been what he had first saw, what had initially caught his attention. No one knew who Quinn Fabray was, not him and he was almost positive not even herself. But, sometimes, if you managed to get close enough, you would realize how much of her was sitting right there, behind those gorgeous orbs. The hurt, the heartbreak, the need to conquer those very emotions... That had been what drew him in, but later he'd seen the happiness, the humor, and the heart. That had been what kept him.

"Your lips are big, but I doubt they can hold all of that drool, Evans."

Sam's shoulders released a tension he hadn't been aware he'd been holding as he looked up at Santana Lopez. Alarm must have been all over his face, because she threw her head back and laughed.

"Yes, you were that obvious."

"I don't know what -" Before Sam could reply, however, something else had caught his attention. Finn was walking into Glee with at least three different text books in his arms, and it wouldn't have been too offbeat, if it hadn't been him. The boy hardly stopped playing COD enough to sleep, nevermind study, and plus, Rachel was taking her quick purposeful strides into the room alongside him. Sam noted duly that even she seemed on edge, casting thoughtful looks toward the piano where Quinn stood, talking idly with Brittany. The girl seemed to have turned off everything around her, but Sam could see - though faintly - a hint of red beginning to touch her cheeks. Her jaw was clenched.

"I'm going to kill him," Sam found himself saying, his fists clenched on either side of the chair he was seated in. Heart thundering in his chest, he couldn't imagine a time where he had ever felt like this before. Like, he genuinely wanted to hurt someone. The thought of his fist meeting the football captain's jaw was almost elating.

Santana was sitting on the bleacher above him and quirked her eyebrow, throwing glances Brittany's way. "Hm? Oh, Finn?" She snorted with contempt. "Calm down, lady lips, he's just putting the moves on Berry, which was to be expected. Quinn can handle it. You did the same thing with me when you dumped her, remember?"

As he glared over at Finn, he wasn't sure if anything could stop him from throttling the other boy. That is, anything besides guilt, because as soon as it showed it's ugly head and Santana promptly slapped him across the face with it... It was more like he wanted to throttle himself. Contemplation was evident across his face as he tried to get his thoughts together.

"He just treats her so badly..." Sam finally replied, returning his gaze to the blond across the room.

"And you'd treat her better?"

That was a question he had never asked himself, and Sam glanced up at the other girl. She had stopped leering at Brittany and had given him her full attention, expression more serious than he had ever seen it.

"Yeah. I would."

Santana seemed to chew this over until finally she stood up, albeit a bit jerkily. "Okay, then. Sit over there." She pointed to the seat next to her.

"But, why? -"

"Just do it, Sam."

With a suspicious narrowing of his eyes, Sam quickly transferred himself and his supplies to the seat she had indicated. Just as fleetingly, Santana had jumped down the bleacher and into his seat, leaning backwards so that her elbow rested atop the flat part of the chair next to him.

"Quinn's going to sit here," she informed him.

"Wait, what?"

"Calm your tits, Samantha. It's not like you haven't sat by her before. Hell, it's not like you haven't done whatever you two did together. Which, frankly, it grosses me out a little to think about."

"We only made out!" scowled Sam as the bell rang. The second it did, his nerves were shot, and he must have looked pale, because Santana grinned at him diabolically with her perfect teeth.

Everybody hastened to get a seat, and when everyone but Quinn had found one, Santana removed her elbow.

The girl appeared a bit dazed for a minute as she took in the full bleachers, save for that one little seat beside Sam. She didn't let it stall her for too long, though, and Quinn promptly made her way over and parked it, giving a tiny nod of greeting to Santana.

God, Sam could just smell the body spray wafting off of her. Strawberries...

"Good afternoon, class!" said Mr. Schuester enthusiastically as he briskly entered the classroom. "Guess what? Nationals is coming up, and I know you're all excited..." Sam let himself phase out of his teacher's words and instead directed his blue gaze at the girl beside him. There wasn't much distance between the seats, and he let his sight fixate on her hand.

As if on cue, it fell to her side as she watched Mr. Schue, probably listening intently. Some part of him wanted to grab it and hold on to it, but Sam wasn't stupid, and he knew that'd probably only lead to rejection. Especially this soon after her breakup with Finn.

"...Now we decided we were going to write original songs, so..." Her hand was just dangling there... She had to have done it on purpose, because the other one was still there in her lap! She had to. He cut his gaze back and forth between his teacher and Quinn, an internal war waging within him.

Without further ado, he let his hand fall to the side of his seat clumsily and accidentally brushed it against hers.

Electricity swept through Sam, and he was sure she could hear his intake of breath as blood rose to his cheeks. The touch seemed to have shattered Quinn's concentration, too, because suddenly she was subtly eyeing him.

"...But, the songs still haven't been written, and Artie's suggested..."

She'd returned to watching Mr. Schuester, and Sam was left to dwell on the touch without her observing him. That had been magic. How could just tapping someone's hand have had such an affect over him? The urge to do a somersault, a cartwheel, start dancing, or simply fist pump was gushing through him, and his heartbeat quickened.

Biting his lip, Sam knew if he could just do it again then he would be good. Then he could go back to ignoring the way he felt and definitely not calling out Finn or staring at this girl all the time. Yeah, that would be good. His heart hammered as he leaned to the side a little, and suddenly his hand was brushing against hers. Butterflies erupted in his stomach, and he fought an oncoming wave of goosebumps.

"...So, this is your assignment for the week..."

Her hand didn't pull away as his own brushed over hers, though he could sense her glancing repeatedly over at him... Sam couldn't help it, though, as he let the back of his fingers glide over her own, wanting so desperately to hold her hand... And then, maybe... Was that a twitch? His eyes actually turned from Mr. Schue and looked at their hands... He could have sworn he'd felt her brush back... And then there it was again... His body was on live wire as he felt the back of her hand graze the very tips of his fingers.

"...And that's the end of our announcements."

Sam could have jumped Mr. Schuester for shutting up, since the instant he did, Quinn had pulled her hand away to check the time on her watch. Sam's own hand, suddenly feeling very alone, found its way back to his lap as he tugged at the edge of his shirt thoughtfully. What had just happened?

* * *

><p>As the day drew to a close, Sam found himself sauntering at a deliberately slow pace down the entrance hall, his heart giving a tiny tug as his eyes discovered the great, wooden door to the guidance counselor's office. Something within him propelled him forward, peering in through the glass walls thoughtfully, before he finally made his way over and knocked on the door. The second he did, however, Emma had swung it open and blinked at him. "Sam?"<p>

"I... Were you leaving? I can come back another time." He itched to turn on his heel and walk away.

"No, well... Glee's over for the day, and Mr. Schuester and I... No, Sam. Come right in. What did you need?" With a forced expression full of cheer, she sidestepped so that Sam could clammer into the tiny office. The scent of wood finishing practically radiated off of her desk as he entered, and Sam, for the life of him, couldn't wrap his head around how she kept it so clean.

"Well... Uh. Thanks." The words slipped out awkwardly as Sam entered and took the seat parallel to the desk, Emma drifting behind it as he did. "Miss Pillsbury... I, uh... I think I need help. I know you don't do therapy, but -"

"You're right, Sam, I don't." she responded evenly before concern flashed across her face at what must have been a troubled look on his part.

"But, I'm homeless, and I can't afford it, so..." Bluntness was his friend as Sam mustered a grin he didn't necessarily feel, the joke wafting into the air between them. She didn't laugh, nor did he expect her to.

In that attentive way of hers, the woman blinked, surprise evident across the plains of her face, and adjusted a pen on her desk. "Oh, I heard -" she had said before looking simply appalled at herself and backpedaling speedily. "I mean, the Glee Club knows, and..."

"It's okay, ma'am," Sam sighed resolutely, politeness never failing him. Back at his old boarding school, one was always expected to address a woman even nearly his senior as such, a habit he hadn't quite fallen out of yet. "Just about half the school knows now."

"Right," Miss Pillsbury looked physically agitated as she continued, regret pulling in those deep doe's eyes of hers. "Well, I have to say I was expecting a visit from you regarding this matter, Sam. Do you want to talk about your home situation?"

Sam frowned at the question and promptly fiddled with the sleeve of his jacket. "Actually, no. I'm kind of at ease with that. Got my guitar back, and my parents are starting to get back on their feet with Glee's help. It makes my little brother Stevie feel like a super hero. Because, you know, all super heroes have bad times before it gets good."

The ghost of a smile touched the redheaded lady's lips as she nodded to him. "That's all so very good, Sam, and I'm happy for you. But, not to be rude, then why have you come to talk to me?"

Faltering, he couldn't manage to lift his gaze enough to meet hers, eyes glued to the sleeve he was still playing with, the flat of his thumb running across the rough material. Of course, he had been aware before entering that this was going to be a difficult situation, putting everything he felt out there, but he hadn't expected his words to simply desert him. "I... er... I've been acting differently, I suppose. Like, I've been more and more aggressive, and sometimes I just want to take it out on someone else... physically. But, it's not for good reasons, you know? More for my own... bad... reasons."

Inclining her head concernedly, Miss Pillsbury straightened her cardigan and swept a hand through her wavy, auburn hair. "Can you give me an example, Sam?"

At the question, Sam instantly perked up, his eyes alive with past fury. "Yeah, I can, actually. Yesterday, at the funeral, Finn just made me so mad. I lost it for a minute, I think, and I was saying all of these things you're not supposed to say. You know the stuff that you want to but you keep hidden anyways? But, it was the truth... I mean, I know it's disrespectful to toss around your own crap after a funeral, but everything was so sad and broken, I couldn't take it. Then today in Glee Club, Santana practically had to guilt trip me to keep me from smashing his face in."

Contemplative as ever, Emma let her gaze tear across the boy for a minute, and he could practically see that mind of hers analyzing everything he'd just said. Frankly, she didn't appear as surprised as he would have thought. "Was it because of the funeral that you became angry?"

"Would it make me a selfish person if I said no?"

"You're one of the least selfish people I've encountered, Sam."

Chewing that over for a moment, Sam finally expelled a breath of frustration and told her before he could change his mind about it. "There's this girl -"

"Quinn?"

Large blue eyes blinked at her as Sam wondered just how apparent it was that he still wanted the girl.

As if to answer, Miss Pillsbury gave a tiny smile that made her eyes light up. "She's a beautiful girl. And you didn't get to finish what you started with her. It stands to reason that she'd be on your mind."

Bottom row of teeth capturing his lip, Sam nodded quietly, his entirety suddenly itching with how exposed he felt behind the glass walls. "Yeah... Well, Finn said something - he must have. But it made her cry. I couldn't help but get upset, Miss P. It just felt like my head was going to explode if I _didn't_ do something. I mean, the pure injustice of the situation was just shocking. He steals her from me and then treats her like garbage, hurts her worse than most physical pain." Sam's hand moved from his sleeve to rest over his heart, and he was surprised to see Emma lean over the desk and move it to the other side of his chest to correct him. When she had seated herself again, her eyes prompted him to continue. "I mean, if he had taken proper care of her... It's as if she goes for people that she knows won't care about her. And I _do_. So much, it's scary."

A smile had planted itself across Emma's face at his words, and after a moment, she realized and let it convert to a serious frowns. "Well, I certainly understand what you mean, Sam. When a certain someone goes after all the wrong people -"

"Like, Mister Schue?"

The stare he received was enough answer for him, and Sam fought off a tiny grin that threatened to plaster his face, dialing it back a notch. "I'm sorry, Miss. P. I didn't know it wasn't something we could talk about. I'll shut up."

"It's quite all right. I mean, there's nothing to talk about."

"Really?" Sam appeared startled, and he could barely withhold his chuckle when Emma abruptly cleared her throat.

"Let's keep talking about Quinn, shall we?" she said, the name evoking a whirlwind of emotions in the blond boy. "So, we've established that you want her back. What did you say to Finn at the funeral?"

"Yeah, I guess I kind of do. Oh, and I told him that if he ever tried to lure her back, I was going to kick his ass."

"Language."

"I'm sorry."

Miss Pillsbury thought for a moment, a tiny line appearing between her arched brows. "Well, don't you think you're behaving a little immaturely?"

"_What_?" Sam was absolutely astounded by the lack of logic in that question. "Miss Pillsbury, he keeps breaking her heart!"

"Exactly, Sam. It's her heart. She should be able to do what she likes with it without your trying to dictate who she can and can't feel for. By saying those things to Finn, you were doing just that. Even moreover, you were acting on petty jealousy."

He stared at her, trying to find even an ounce of falsehood in her statement. And failed. She was so right that it stung more than he could have ever imagined. What was he _doing_? "I just want her to be loved. By somebody that deserves her." he finally replied, eyes cast downward with embarrassment.

"Do you deserve her, Sam?"

"I don't know."

* * *

><p>Living in a motel with your siblings and parents obviously didn't warrant much privacy, so whenever Sam could allow himself the time, he would disappear into their shabby, little bathroom with his guitar. Of course, he could play it around his brother and sister as well, but when he was really practicing, letting himself actually feel the music as he strummed it, he could spare no distractions.<p>

The acoustics in the small expanse were shit, and to his credit he was dealing with it quite graciously. Better this than underneath a bridge, right? Well, that's when a knock sounded on the door outside of the bathroom, and at first, Sam was prepared to ignore it since he thought it was probably just Stevie wanting to use the toilet. But, after hearing a rush of air as a different door swung open, he realized someone had actually knocked outside of the motel, and he put his guitar down, resting it in the tiny nook between the counter and the toilet. Before he had managed to leave the bathroom and see who it was, a voice sounded in the room outside, and his pulse immediately quickened. Not just a voice, but _her_ voice.

It was a surprise because ever since the rumor between them had gone down and Finn had had his little hissy fit, the girl had taken to staying away from the Evans family, something that had truly troubled his younger siblings - who adored her - for a while. At first, Sam had figured that he'd offended her, but since she was avoiding him in Glee as well, he could only pin it down to her trying to please Finn.

"Quinnie!" sounded his sister's voice, and Sam could feel a smile tugging at his lips as he heard an "oof" of response, and he could only imagine that the little girl had launched herself into Quinn's arms.

"Hey, Stace," she replied in a tone of pure affection, one that Sam had only heard a handful of times in all of the time that he'd known her. Only once had she directed it at him, and that had been only hours before he broke up with her... When she and Finn had been together, Sam had noticed that she took a sort of mock version of said tone with him when she was feeding him compliments to make him feel better about himself. Now it was real. "Gorgeous girl, what are you wearing? Pink and green, oh no. We'll have to fix this, but hey, I brought some of me and Frannie's old clothes over for you."

"Wow, thanks, Quinn!"

"It's no problem," There was enough of a smile in her voice that Sam found himself practically beaming at the wall.

"Quinn!" came his brother Stevie's voice as he listened behind the door.

"Stevie! How's my big man?"

"I'm real good, Quinn. But better than your bigger man."

An air of confusion. "My bigger man?"

"Yeah, he's been moping around, playing the guitar, and watching Lifetime. I think that means he's depressed."

There was a brief pause, and Sam let himself lean against the door to hear.

"Sam... Sam's not my man." There was an evident blush in her voice, and the blond found himself reveling once again in how different she was around these kids.

"Of course, he is." answered Stevie, and Sam could have hugged the little guy.

"You're always looking at him, Quinnie. When you don't think he can see. But, we can see." came his sister's voice, and the football player knew he'd have to play them something special tonight.

"I..."

Afraid he'd miss whatever she was going to say next, Sam leaned hard into the door, and suddenly the cheap lock gave way, swinging open under his weight. Before he knew what was happening, he had fallen onto the mattress beside it, his face instantly becoming a lovely shade of crimson. With a strangled sound, he scrambled back to his feet in time to see an appalled Quinn, and his heart thundered so wildly in his chest he thought it just might pop out.

"'Eoi 'awstengyem?" The words slipped right out of his lips, and he could feel them - even his brother and sister - staring at him in a stunned silence. Clapping his hand to his face, Sam could hardly believe what he had just said, but thankfully no one here besides him was adept in Na'vi because he was quite certain he had just asked Quinn to marry him.

"Oh. Er, hi. I didn't hear you come in... And stuff."

Quinn stared at him for a moment before apparently, to his everlasting gratitude, deciding to ignore what had just happened. "Right. Well, I haven't been over in a while, and I missed these guys..."

"You missed me most," stated Stevie, which thusly marked the beginning of a tickle fight as Stacey tackled him to the mattress.

"She missed me most!"

Watching them with a faint smile, the girl played with her fair curls, and Sam so desperately wished he could just lean forward and run his hand through them too. "I was wondering if I could maybe take these two out for icecream if that's okay? I mean, it's up to you, Sam. You're the boss."

"I'm the boss!" giggled Stevie as he proceeded to rack thunderous fits of laughter from his sister.

With a blink, Sam was wringing his hands together nervously. "Uh, sure. I-I'll go, too. Mom and Dad wouldn't be happy if I didn't... So, there's... reasons... for me to go."

"Of course."

"Well, um, I'll just grab my jacket. Do you need anything, Quinn?"

"Nope. Just you."

He blinked.

"And them. Yeah, them... Not just you. Go get your jacket, Sam."

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **_So, wow, that was pretty bad. Hopefully, my writing will get better as the story progresses, since I've been really out of it lately. Anyways, if you want me to continue this, please review! And I'll post up new chapters as soon as I write them._


	2. Part Time Lover

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **_Okay, I'm sorry about the wait for those of you that read it earlier on. I'm on vacation right now, and it took a WHILE to get internet connection. So, this chapter was actually written a few days ago. Just no way to put it up. Anyways, I'm really glad to know that people like the story! Your reviews made me smile, and I thank you for them. So please, don't stop - it's actually what's keeping me motivated to update this story._

_Anyways, this chapter is pretty much writing with a brief blip of song somewhere in the middle. I know lots of people don't like songs in a fic, but hey, it's Glee, and you can totally skip it if you want. Now, I'm not going to say you won't miss anything if you do, because in my opinion, you will, so I strongly recommend reading it. If you don't know the song, it's Anyone Else But You by The Moldy Peaches, and if you don't LIKE the song... Well, just ignore it, I guess. Or only read it for the lyrics. I personally find the duet adorable for them._

_Anyways, the updates will be faster now that I've got internet, but I'm still a slow poke, so bear with me. Also, to those of you that notice, thanks. XD Emma is actually my favorite character, seconded only by Quinn. I'll probably try to fit her into any Glee fanfic I write at some point. She's just so damn cute._

_Enjoy!_

**DISCLAIMER: **_I don't own Glee, Sam Evans, or Quinn Fabray. Which is sad._

Strawberry ice cream on a cone dipped in white chocolate. Probably the best decision he'd ever made in his life.

A smile fluttered across Sam's face as he took the ice cream cone from a rather bored looking cashier and plunged his hand into his pocket to fish for money. He pulled out a ten dollar bill and was about to thrust it at the guy. "Here you go-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." interrupted a soft voice, and the scent of strawberries once again blinded his senses as the girl slid beside him. Pastel florescence washed over half of her face from the overhanging lights, and the green in her eyes sparkled. "That's almost ten dollars for everything, Sam. I'll get it." With that, Quinn began to open her purse, and Sam noted with faint protectiveness that the cashier didn't appear so bored since her arrival.

"But, I'm the boy." he said only to regret it the second it left his mouth. The look he received was borderline murderous, and he berated himself for forgetting about how much of a feminist the blond girl was.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that." she replied, sifting a bill from the depths of her purse and thrusting it at the horndog dude behind the counter. God, he was practically _drooling_.

Sam shot him a reproachful look, narrowing his eyes over his ice cream, before returning his attention to Quinn and groaning. "But, I remember. You told me that a gentleman always pays..." _On the first date_. He clumsily trailed off as his face began to burn, but from the barely noticeable blush creeping across Quinn's own face, he knew she had remembered as well.

"You could use that money to buy Stacey new shoes." she answered after a moment, staring at him with the maximum brute force of those hazel beauties. God, why did she have to use logic against him? For all intents and purposes, he had begun to delude himself into thinking that this actually was a date. Bringing the fact that his brother and sister were present into it only brought him flailing back into reality, and contrary to popular belief, that wasn't a pleasant feeling.

Before Sam could argue - sometimes he felt like he was the only one who dared argue with this girl - back, however, the dude behind the counter suddenly perked up, a smirk scrawled across his face. "Actually," he piped up, turning to Quinn and letting those beady eyes of his troll over all of the forbidden places until Sam abruptly coughed. "It's on me, darling." He winked.

Quinn's eyes instantly narrowed, and Sam could almost see her mind gearing behind them. On one hand, she had the perfect opportunity to threaten Sam's masculinity by paying. On the other hand, letting this guy pay for them might infuriate him even more and convince him that this _was not_ a date without causing any complication between them about him owing her back. After a moment of thought, she resigned to withdraw her money and flashed the cashier a brilliant smile. "Thanks." Unsurprisingly, Sam's body tensed, and part of him wished she had paid as the jackass's face lit with a toothy grin.

As she turned to venture back to the kids sitting at a table in the far corner, Sam squinted over his cone at the guy. "Dick." he muttered to a sleezey shrug before retreating as well.

"Sam! Sam! Look!" exclaimed Stevie, pointing to his cup equipped with a few massive scoops of mint chocolate. That is, Sam thought it was mint since the entire lot was consumed in gummy worms galore.

"Jeeze, boy. You're gonna get constipate-"

Quinn shot him a disgusted look, and he quieted with a lick of his strawberry.

"Man!" came Stacey's voice suddenly, and Sam rushed to her side without hesitation. Fighting off a groan, he exchanged the cup of ice cream splattered across her shirt with a wad of napkins on the table and started dabbing.

"It's okay, Stace." he sighed, trying to dry any and all of the chocolate still remaining. "I don't think Mom will notice, but keep it a secret between you and me until I stop by the Laundromat again." After he was finished, Sam discarded the napkins and offered her an amused twitch of his lips.

"Okay, Sammy..." His sister was trembling in a way that would make it clear to anyone the waterworks were about to begin, and Sam cut his gaze around the shop edgily. "My ice cream..."

"But, look, Stace. It's all right - it's survived." He lifted the cup to show her the remaining scoops of chocolate, unhitched from their fall.

"My gummy worms..?" She looked slightly more at ease as she peered into the cup.

Sam sighed resolutely and handed her it, ruffling her hair with a morbid expression. "One had a turn for the worst, I reckon." And he indicated a gummy worm on the ground before him, lowering his head in a mock form of grief. "Salutations, worm." he said before promptly saluting the fallen comrade and laughing a little at Stacey's widened eyes. "You will be missed. But hey, there are at least twenty more left in there, kiddo. Don't sweat it."

The little girl had worked up a smile, and any tears that had begun to form were virtually nonexistent at this point. "Salutations, worm." she said with a mirrored version of Sam's salute before digging into the rest.

When he glanced up, a goofy grin was plastered across his face, and he met Quinn's gaze across the table. There was faint amusement glittering in her eyes, and her mouth tugged upward in a fond expression, an impressed eyebrow arched. Despite himself, Sam glanced over his shoulder at the cashier watching them and saluted.

* * *

><p>"They're adorable."<p>

Sam glanced at the girl beside him as they walked along the sidewalk back out to the parking lot and followed her gaze. Stacey and Stevie were holding hands and half skipping as they ran around in circles up ahead, melting ice cream splattering all over the concrete and their giggles echoing through the silence. "I guess I should thank you for them." A grin hastened to spread across his face. "They really do love you, Quinn."

To Sam's surprised, she glanced up at this, a small frown tugging at her gorgeous features. Was that regret that was pooling in the depths of her eyes? Matching her frown, Sam thought for a moment.

"I'm sorry I haven't been around, Sam. They probably thought that I had deserted them... It's just... It was just difficult, and-"

Sam turned on his heel and halted in front of her, causing Quinn to nearly collide into his chest. "And now it's not?" he finished for her with an eyebrow raised. Something unknown had willed him to do this, to make sure she knew that they didn't have to talk about it. That the past was the past and now was now.

A tiny smile threatening to overlap her frown, Quinn looked up at him, and he was struck suddenly by how much taller he was. "And now it's not." she breathed.

His heart was tugging him toward her, but for some reason, he held back just a little too long. Finn wasn't in the picture, sure, and this girl truly was the only person he could think about at night. But, so many thoughts were streamlining through his head at that moment that he couldn't help but pause. And, unfortunately, his hesitation cost him dearly as she quickly sidestepped him.

"Let's keep going?"

"Yeah..." he replied timidly, taking another lick of his ice cream cone. Strawberry. Like her.

They continued walking for a moment, Stacey and Stevie's shouts rebounding around the lot, until Sam chanced the decision to speak up again. "So, I noticed you didn't get any ice cream."

"I don't like ice cream."

"You don't like ice cream?" He must have been sporting a pretty astonished expression, because Quinn laughed briefly.

"I just... I haven't had it in a long time." At her words, the image Lauren Zizes had displayed to the school during the prom campaign leaped into his head, and Sam had never wanted to punch a girl so much in his entire life.

"Would you like some of mine?" he resigned to offering, holding his cone out to the blond girl and waggling his eyebrows with his usual goofy self assurance. "Come on... Strawberry."

To his surprise, Quinn paused, the green in her eyes so unearthly prominent in the glow of a nearby lamppost. Her expression seemed troubled for a moment as she weighed her decision before she suddenly leaned forward and took a lick, a blush warming her cheeks when she stood straight again. "I love strawberry."

Sam was so captivated he'd begun to gnaw at his bottom lip, and it took him far longer than necessary to understand what she'd said. "I know." he blurted before he could help himself.

Embarrassment stole through him as Quinn blinked in confusion.

"I-I just..." he stammered, trying to compose himself, but the fragments of resolve he still possessed had suddenly left him. "You smell like... yeah."

"Smell like what?" She looked slightly alarmed and glanced down at herself with an expression that would have struck Sam hilarious at any other time. Dammit.

"You smell like strawberries."

An awkward silence hung between them for the longest moment he had ever lived, and Sam could have just died. _Derp derp, you smell like strawberries, derp derp_. Santana was right - he had no game.

"Hey, look, your car!" he forced out enthusiastically before bolting over.

* * *

><p>"Sing us a song, Sam." cried Stevie as soon as they returned to the tiny motel. The parental units weren't going to be back until late Sam had been informed through an awkward call on the drive home. Mom had run into an old friend at the grocery store, and she was going to have dinner at their house, while Dad was working late for a janitorial shift he had managed to pick up while on the search for a job. Pizza was in the fridge to heat up if Stevie and Stacey got hungry later on.<p>

"A song?" sighed Sam, rubbing his eyes and holding the door open for Quinn. She looked a little edgy as she drifted over the threshold, and he was sadly aware that it was getting late enough that she'd have to head home soon. "Only if Quinn sings with me." he said, shooting a sneaky glance in the blond's direction.

"Hold on. I didn't agree to-"

"Stevie, get my guitar!" Sam patted the little boy on the back as he darted into the bathroom to fetch it and smirked at the fuming Quinn beside him. A forlorn expression consumed her as she moved to sit on the mattress, looking as if she wished she could be anywhere else.

An expression that, Sam noted with growing fondness, brightened as Stacey crawled into her lap. "You and Sammy's voices are pretty." the little girl said, resting her head on the girl's chest. Quinn looked like she could have died.

"Here!" And suddenly Stevie had tackled his older brother, shoving the guitar into his hands. Sam ruffled the boy's hair with a muffled thanks before flopping onto the mattress beside Quinn.

"You know," she said, cutting a glance between the girl clinging to her and the door. "I really am not feeling well enough to sing. I think I caught a cold. Yeah, my voice probably won't be worth the effort."

A laugh shook Sam's frame as he turned to the girl, guitar lain across his lap. He strummed experimentally before replying, "Well, that's good since I picked the one song you don't really have to sing, and I know you know the lyrics because I've heard you sing it under your breath before." Sam didn't bother to latch the _when we were dating_ onto the end of that sentence, but he was sure she'd pieced it together... Without further ado, he leaned forward to whisper the title into her ear.

"I'm getting really tired of all these Juno kicks." Quinn replied with a stare that made Sam want to bang his head against a wall. Repeatedly.

Alarmed, he shook his head furiously. "No, I didn't mean that. Haven't even seen the movie! I mean, I would _never_-"

"It was a joke, Sam." she said then, and he watched as her lips tugged upward the tiniest bit.

Honestly, Sam was too struck by the concept that Quinn Fabray was _flirting_ with him to formulate a coherent response. "Asduhlafluh." he said in a breath before abruptly straightening and nervously glancing at Quinn, Stacey, and Stevie. That was the second time today he had made them all stare at him.

"I'm going to start playing now." he finally said with awkwardness as a constant companion.

"Yeah."

And with that, he let his fingers work their magic. He nodded when it was time to cue Quinn.

_You're a part time lover and a full time friend _  
><em>The monkey on your back is the latest trend <em>  
><em>I don't see what anyone can see in anyone else <em>  
><em>...But you<em>

Her voice was beautiful, even when she wasn't really singing. Sam guessed he could see the appeal of powerhouses like Rachel Berry, or ones full of soul like Mercedes Jones. But, it didn't matter whether Quinn had a huge vocal range or was always on the right note. Because hers was the voice he'd rather listen to all day. Sometimes people underestimated the value of delicacy. Simplicity. Especially when hosted by such a complex person.

Sam must have looked like an idiot, his cheeks were hurting so bad from grinning. Mostly because of Quinn's halfsinging, but also because Stacey had begun to crawl over the blond's shoulder and proceeded to make monkey sounds. Fighting off a laugh, he launched into his verse.

_I kiss you on the brain in the shadow of the train_  
><em>I kiss you all starry eyed, my body swinging from side to side <em>  
><em>I don't see what anyone can see in anyone else <em>  
><em>...But you<em>

The word kiss was sang a little softer than the rest of the lyrics. Of course, it was an unintentional blunder on Sam's part, but he couldn't help but notice Quinn start to bite her lip before she continued.

_Here is the church and here is the steeple _  
><em>We sure are cute for two ugly people <em>  
><em>I don't see what anyone can see in anyone else <em>  
><em>...But you<em>

Stevie and Stacey were swaying in unison, bright happy expressions glued to their faces. As soon as Quinn sang the ugly people line, Sam didn't think before shaking his head a little as he glanced at her. Who could blame him? The girl was gorgeous. In any case, a tiny blush hastened to rosy her cheeks, and he felt his heart speed, almost making him come in late.

_The pebbles forgive me _  
><em>The trees forgive me<em>  
><em> So why can't you forgive me <em>  
><em>I don't see what anyone can see in anyone else <em>  
><em>...But you<em>

It was almost a plead, and as Quinn looked down, Sam ducked to catch her gaze. His fingers promptly fumbled in their playing when their eyes met, but he struggled through it and kept eye contact. That is, until she turned her head as she took a breath before singing.

_I will find my nitch in your car _  
><em>With my MP3, DVD rumple-packed guitar <em>  
><em>I don't see what anyone can see in anyone else <em>  
><em>...But you<em>

Biting his lip, Sam waved his hand to get Stacey and Stevie to sing with them.

_Du du du du du du dudu _  
><em>Du du du du du du dudu <em>  
><em>Du du du du du du dudu <em>  
><em>Du<em>

Stevie clammered into the next line with his _du_'s and blushed profusely when he realized and stopped. This made Quinn giggle beautifully as she launched into her line.

_Up up down down left right left right B A start _  
><em>Just because we use cheats doesn't mean we're not smart <em>  
><em>I don't see what anyone can see in anyone else <em>  
><em>...But you<em>

She tripped a little over the lyrics, because hey, they weren't perfect, but ended in the right spot and laughed. Sam almost forgot to sing when it came to his turn.

_You are always trying to keep it real _  
><em>I'm in love with how you feel <em>  
><em>I don't see what anyone can see in anyone else <em>  
><em>...But you<em>

Despite himself, Sam's blue gaze hardened as he spoke the lyrics, trying desperately to make eye contact. By the second line, he was staring straight into the green of those orbs, and he inclined his head a little bit at her. Honestly, when he'd first heard the song, he hadn't cared too much about it. Relatively easy to play and requiring little to no effort in the vocal department. But now he _adored_ it. If only for the fact he was singing it with her.

_We both have shiny happy fits of rage_  
><em> You want more fans, I want more stage <em>  
><em>I don't see what anyone can see in anyone else <em>  
><em>...But you<em>

Sam was beside himself when she sang that, amusement evident on his face. Rage was an understatement.

_Don Quixote was a steel driving man _  
><em>My name is Samuel, I'm your biggest fan <em>  
><em>I don't see what anyone can see in anyone else <em>  
><em>...But you<em>

Neither Stacey nor Stevie had noticed he'd changed the lyric to his name, but Quinn who'd been mouthing along with him, stopped and gave him a look. It only lasted a mere second, but he wished it could have gone on forever.

_Squinched up your face and did a dance _  
><em>You shook a little turd out of the bottom of your pants <em>  
><em>I don't see what anyone can see in anyone else <em>  
><em>...But you<em>

His brother and sister absolutely lost it at the mention of the word _turd_, as was the child's way, and even Sam had to bite his lip to keep from chuckling. He had just gotten Quinn Fabray to say turd. This had to be documented. Still, he appreciated the rise in her voice at the end and was astonished she even remembered to do it.

_Du du du du du du dudu _  
><em>Du du du du du du dudu <em>  
><em>Du du du du du du dudu <em>  
><em>Du<em>

They sang it with the children, but as the final line came up, Stevie and Stacey quieted, so that the two could sing together.

_But you_

For a moment, silence overwhelmed the tiny motel room as the pair looked at one another. There was something hidden just beneath the depths of those eyes,_ he could feel it_. Almost see it. But, just as soon as he had, they clouded and the moment was over. Sam decided then that he would find out what it was. Because if he did, then everything would be all right.

Stacey and Stevie glanced between the two with youthful knowing before erupting into giggles.

"That was awesome!"

"Quinnie said... turd!"

"Who's Don Quickso?"

Sam grinned at his siblings before returning his attention to Quinn who, until then, had remained silent.

"That was... fun." she finally said with a glint of mischief in her eyes before that too disappeared. "But, it's late."

He could feel his heart sink.

"I think I'd better go home..." she sighed to groans from the children and, surprisingly, Sam. "But, it's okay! I'm not leaving... for good... this time. I promise. It's just late, and my mom's gotten protective about these types of things..." _Since I got pregnant_, Sam finished for her in his head as he leaped to his feet.

"Let me walk you to the door!" he said, laying his guitar down on the mattress.

Quinn stared at him and then shot a glance at the door. "It's, like, three feet away."

"To your car then!"

* * *

><p>The two stood there for a moment, standing just outside of the car when Quinn turned to him, her gaze expectant. If only he knew what exactly she was expectant of.<p>

"Tonight was awesome," Sam ventured, noting how the moonlight cast shadows across her face. Except for this bar of light that somehow hung straight across her eyes, making them positively glow.

Quinn didn't nod, but she also didn't disagree as she stood there, shifting her weight from foot to foot.

At a loss for words, Sam simply babbled the first thing that came to mind. "So, you'll be coming by again? Like you said."

"You'd think I'd lie to those kids?" she said, and he almost wanted to slap himself until he realized she was teasing. A hesitant smile crossed his face.

"That's awesome." _Jesus, Sam. Maybe invest in a new vocabulary_.

She nodded, casting a glance down the length of her car before her gaze leveled with his own.

_This is it_, Sam suddenly thought, his stomach lurching. _This is the moment where you lean in and kiss her_. So, he did.

As he approached, the boy let himself look deeply into her eyes. There was a flicker there, like sparks igniting from stone against stone. She wanted this. The fall felt as if it took ages, and Sam was cocking his head to the side, lips just about to brush her own... His eyes fluttered shut, the last thing he saw being her own hazey orbs.

And then nothing. Instead of the warmth of her lips against his own, Sam felt himself being embraced, and he could feel her chin pressed against the top of his shoulder. "I missed you," she breathed into his ear, sending goosebumps down his back and forearms.

With that, Quinn released him and gave a tight smile before slipping into her car. As she started the engine and was pulling away, she glanced at him, and it killed him that he couldn't quite identify what the look held.

Sam stood there, even after she had driven away, for a few minutes before turning on his heel. Stevie and Stacey were probably hungry by now.

* * *

><p>"Why didn't you go in for the kill?" exclaimed Noah Puckerman as he furiously beat his controller. It was quiet in the Puckerman residence since neither Puck's mother - who was at work - nor his sister - who was at a play date with one of her little friends - were home at the moment, and the friends sat on his couch playing video games.<p>

Sam rhythmically pressed buttons on his own controller, and on screen was Pokemon Stadium where Bowser and Link were heatedly brawling it out. "I don't know. She just... I guess, she just wanted a hug."

"I was talking about Bowser," answered Puck as Link blasted the turtle-shelled beast off screen and he swore loudly. Throwing the remote down angrily, he shot Sam a reproachful look. "But, we can talk about that, too."

"When are you going to realize Bowser sucks?" inquired Sam mischievously as he followed suit, though setting the controller down on the sofa instead.

"He does not." Puck shot back, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "Bowser has an orange mohawk thing, and mohawks, if you haven't noticed, make people awesome. Anyways, isn't Link like a girl in disguise or some shit?"

Sam stared at him. "The Zelda fandom is probably going to show up at your doorstep with stones at the ready at any moment."

With a roll of his eyes, Puck leaned back into the furniture, and Sam pressed the pause button triumphantly. "Whatever. Let's get back on track. What went down between you and Quinn?"

The boy gave a sigh, and wrestled with the thought of what he should tell Puck. The truth would be most beneficial, he finally decided before speaking, "I was going in for it. And I mean, she wanted it. I swear, she was sending me the _kiss me _signal. But, just before I got there, she hugged me."

"Ooh, that's not good."

"How?" Sam did a pretty fair job of hiding his alarm.

"Because. I dated Quinn, and she never does anything without a purpose. So maybe she wanted to kiss you, but if she hugged you... Then that means she _needed_ to hug you instead. Trust me, she pulled all sorts of mindfucking shit like that with me. It was all like: _We're going to raise a baby together, and I'm not putting out, but no, you can't fuck other girls_." Puck waved his hands in exasperation and shrugged. "Pure illogical stuff."

Because the football player wasn't an idiot, he _did _take the time to consider the fact that Puck's problems weren't nearly as farfetched as he made them seem. At least in Sam's perspective. But then, that was why Quinn and him hadn't worked out. "I can just hope for friendship." His sigh was full of woe as he leaned back into the cushion, because he knew that being friends could never substitute for actually being with Quinn.

Though his face had been laced with humor for the majority of the conversation, Puck actually straightened up at this and gave Sam a hard glare. "That's girly talk, man. Let me tell you this. Anyone can be together. Look at me and Zizes. Hell, look at Rachel and Finn. I can't even tell how she puts up with the guy, considering I barely can. I mean, the only reason I do is because he's actual competition at Mario, unlike jackasses like you and Chang, but that's about it. And don't even get me started on Rachel, because I've been with that chick. One hot Jew, but she doesn't put out _at all_-"

"Cut to the chase?" questioned Sam.

"Oh right. But what I was saying was that anybody can be with anybody, man. Nothing's impossible, and everybody's out there for the taking. I mean, what you need to do is walk into Glee Monday and plant Quinn with a big, wet one. Because, you're the shit, and even if she's not into it, you'll still be the shit. Got me? I mean, I used to get depressed and stuff, but then I realized something. Sam, I'm fucktastic. I'm a damn _dream_, and anybody would be lucky to spend a second with my ass. Because I'm the shit. Call it arrogance or whatever, but it works. So. Just do it. Be the shit, bro."

Contemplating this for a second, Sam took his time digesting all of the wisdom Puck had departed upon him. Finally, he sat up a little straighter. "You know what, Puck? You're right. I'm going to walk into Glee Monday and kiss Quinn Fabray, because I'm the shit. And it doesn't matter if she doesn't like it, 'cause I'm still the shit."

"Hell yeah!"


End file.
